The Letters - May 3, 1915 - To Mrs. Anna Hay (staying with Mrs. Austin) from Daughter-in-Law Alice

 

                                                               Woodlyn, Pa.

                                                                Aug. 3rd, 1915

Dear Mother,

When you have finished your visit with Mrs. Austin and are ready to come home if you let us what day and time someone will meet you in Philadelphia. Jack took the auto apart on Friday, and I don't know when it will be in running order again for he has not been able to get the repair man he wants yet. 

Jack (son of Mrs. Hay) has not been feeling well today so did not try to work any. Remember us to all the folks at Oak Lane and let us know when to meet you. 

With love from all,

Hastily, 

Alice

The Letters - May 15, 1915 - To Mrs. Anna M. Hay from Clara R. Austin

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                                                                    Oak Lane, July 15.1915

Dear Mrs. Hay,

We are anxious to see you and visit with you all, and hope all of you can come to Oak Lane on Sunday the 26^th to dinner. I have asked Mrs. Fisher and Charlie; and hope your son and wife, with John, Alice and George will come with you. I am sure they will accept the invitation through you without my writing also to them.

I know their place is so cool and comfortable that it will be somewhat of a trial to leave it if the weather is warm as it is today; but we have not seen any of you for so long. I do hope we may have the pleasure of seeing you all then. We will have dinner about half past one. I must not forget to give you the mileage book, and will not mail it to you, so I hope surely to see you and to have a good visit together.

I am sorry I have no time cards to enclose, but trains leave the terminal for Oak Lane at 10.55 and 12.17—in case you prefer coming by train. Hoping to see you all on the 25th, and with kindest regards to all, I am

Lovingly, your friend,

Clara R. Austin

 

The Letters - May 21, 1915 - To Mrs. Anna Hay (from Johnstown currently in Florida) from Mrs. Margaret Roberts in Philadelphia

Oak Lane, Phila. 5,21,'15

My dear Mrs. Hay,

I feel quite delinquent in being so slow in acknowledging the receipt of your card and of the delicious grape fruit which arrived safely and which has been a real treat. Accept hearty thanks for my choice (?) of it; we have all enjoyed it. 

As you know Mrs. Austin was in Johnstown for a short visit *see previous letter I posted). She felt that she must go this month between the dates of important club meetings here and also at a time when your fine apple orchard, of which she had heard so much, was in bloom. It was a matter of regret that her visit antidated your return. 

Shall you be able to take us in on your return trip? I trust you may, as I have very pleasant recollections of your visit here two years ago. I greatly enjoy an agreeable companion when we can sew together and enjoy the fresh air on the porch. I was very much pleased with Mrs. Fisher, her son, also; they are the kind of people that I wish to know better.

Mrs. Austin comes home each time more in love with her son-in-law—a very pleasant state of affairs which I feel sure will always continue. It is quite certain that love is the greatest thing in the world. 

I suppose the awful war (WWI - started in 1914 - U.S. entered in 1917) is as disturbing to you and your relatives in the South as it is to us in Phila. May Heaven send a speedy end to such horrors.

With all good wishes and hoping to see you in the near future.

Sincerely Yours, 

Margaret L Roberts 

 

The Letters - May 14, 1915 - To Mrs. Anna Hay in Florida from Clara R. Austin in Johnstown

Johnstown, Pa

                                                                                                       May 14 1915

Dear Mrs. Hay,

I received your welcome letter forwarded to me from home, and want to thank you for sending us your delicious grape fruit. I wrote home immediately, so I have no doubt they are now enjoying them. I am getting more than I deserve. I am afraid; for I am enjoying those you sent to George and Mary, and will continue to have them when I reach Oak Lane (Philly).

Mary has always told me how beautiful the apple blossoms are and wanted me to see them, so I decided to make a little visit at this time. They were very lovely, and the birds make merry in the trees, so it was a thing to be remembered in sight and in sound. This is the shortest visit I have made here, as I must leave on Monday morning.

Mrs. Roberts sold her house and returned to Oak Lane, so she and Mrs. Lees are both there, indefinitely. I wrote your message to Mrs. Roberts, so I am sure she will appreciate your desire to have her share your Florida fruit. 

We had dinner at Mrs. Waters last Wednesday evening. George could not go, but Mrs. Wagoner who is visiting Mrs. Waters, Frieda, Mary and I had a pleasant visit with them. I was reminded of our visit there in February, when you were one of the member. I think Frieda looks quite thin, but otherwise seems pretty well. 

Mrs. Lee called one afternoon to bring Mary and George a letter in reference to Lincoln's attitude towards the Dunkers. She was much surprised to see me here. I took your plan this time, made up my mind in somewhat short planning. Mrs. Lee was going away for a few days to visit relatives. I called on Mrs. Marion Suppes and saw her and her new baby, who is very pretty, dark haired baby, She showed me a picture they had of her, and said they had sent one to you. I believe this is all the news I know of in Johnstown.

I am very glad Miss Dora Bonnacker is convalescing, and hope she will soon be quite strong. Please give special remembrance from me to your "Aunt Lizzie". I have heard you speak of her so lovingly, I know what a pleasure to both of you it must be for you to be together. 

Thank you both very much, for giving us the pleasure of enjoying Mrs. Bonnacker's delicious grape fruit. I think it is the "best ever", as the children say. 

With much love from all, I am 

Sincerely your friend, 

Clara R. Austin

 

The Letters - May 11, 1915 - To Mrs. Anna Hay in Florida from Marion (must have just had a baby) in Johnstown

May 7, 1915

Dear Aunt Anna,

I think of you often but time seems full. Soon I will realize what my mother had to do having three daughters and hers so close together. I have Marion, Sara, Anna and Elizabeth almost the same names as the "Dibert girls". 

We are all pretty well and baby doing nicely & is very good. See her lovely hair & it is or was very black & shiny. I haven't seen your folks for a long time but yesterday I went by & the place looks good. Trees scraped & in blossom, lawn has been rolled & looks fine. I want to put my seeds in today. 

I suppose you know Cora (?) has a daughter born Feb. 27 Margaret Alice? She is a lovely baby & very good. Looks very much like the mothers side, I think. I finally had to put Ellen out, just shortly before baby came. She thought I couldn't get along without her and took things in her hands & was very imperdent. She is up at Linton's. 

Baumers are anxious to get moved tho. the house is far from ready. The  Shemels may go into their Moxham house. Do you know that Mrs. Jane Tittle died last week & and was buried here yesterday?

It is hard thinking and writing with Sara talking & on and off my lap. 

Hope all are well. Give my love to Dora with lots for Aunt Anna.

Marion

 

The Letters - May 7, 1915 - To Mrs. Anna Hay - Johnstown from Sister Madge - Philadelphia

                                                                                                  1614 Wallace St. Phils. Pa.

                                                                                                  May 7th 1915

My dear Sister Anna,

Your letter was a very pleasant surprise to me this morning and was followed in a few hours by the arrival of the box of grape fruit which was another happy surprise, for I am exceedingly fond of that luscious fruit. I had also a letter from Madge today, asking if I had heard from you and when you were coming North for you had promised to stop in Washington.

I am very glad to be able to tell her I had heard from you—and in a very substantial way also but you said nothing about coming home. I don't blame you for remaining in that lovely climate. It is so very changeable here—after the taste of warm balmy breezes we had in April now we are having now and cold cloudy days again and will have to light the furnace fire again to make us comfortable.

I can not thank you enough and my dear good old friend Lizzie Andrews (Bonacker) for the fine treat you have given me. Charlie and I shall enjoy it—I assure you. The fruit is fine—so large and luscious I have tested it already.

Just say to that good little auntie of yours that I would love dearly to see her, and I think the best way for her to see me and all her other friends up here, would be for her to come home with you—now could you not make that arrangement with her? I hope Dora has entirely recovered from her operation by this time and she could come along. Jennie Pringle now Mrs. Ed King and I, have many talks over the days of long ago, her youngest daughter lives at Swarthmore near the city—and she spends so much of her time there we get to see each other quite often . I hope to hear that you approve of my plan and that she coming.

Charlie & I spent a day down at John's about ten days ago—All were well then. They had quite a hospital for a while last month. Alice had her hands full—what a wonderful little manager she is. I have been trying to do some housecleaning but let me tell you something it goes mighty slow, as Dr, Gerhard told me not very long ago "You are not young anymore!" and I have to go slow.

The McMillen party is still at the "Bellvue???" Expect to go to New York this month sometime. Ida Endsley has been out in Germantown for several weeks staying with Lide's children. Mr. & Mrs. Fairman having gone to California to the Exposition. They expect to return this week and then Ida returns home.

Now please let me know when we are to see you all here—I know you do not like to write letters but—I hope that your auntie has not the same failing. 

Thanking you both again for your great kindness and with much love from Charlie and myself—

very Sincerely

Sister Madge

 

Saturday Sparkler - February 27, 1915

Here is your February 27, 1915 edition of the Saturday Sparkler. A Johnstown newspaper I have never heard of. Lots of names and locations thru the many pages
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Magyar - Paul Hornick and Peter Carpenter on this page along with reports from the Western Front

Joseph Moore writes about his travels in the War Zone

Here - an article on Miss Olive Probert and her family

Lorain Steel and John Kingston - Meat Market

My favorite page - Morrellville Woman Identified as Lady Caught by the Camera in Front of Nathan's Store - Miss Blanche Willett - 149 Barron Avenue - Wins Toilet Accessories at Young's Pharmacy.

Too many names to mention along with Goldschmidt Bros - One Price Clothing

Young's Drug Store - Franklin Street

More from the Western Front

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Dentist Dr. Robert Stringer and an interesting article on the tree plantings in old Westmont

Restaurant Ice House Fire

Saturday Sparkler - Come, Join The Five-Cent Circulation and Get Your Money's Worth

To read larger - CLICK HERE.